What Else Could Happen?
by watchitstark
Summary: Hermione and Minerva love each other, but won't let the other know. A series of one-shots about the relationship between the two of them. HG/MM Friendship, but a hint of them loving each other. Both chapters written for challenges.
1. Chapter 1

**Dreams and Habits**

The prompt 'Habits' from the '_Non-Canon Pairing'_ challenge by '_EveryShiningStar__'_.

_**A/N: This is going to be Minerva/Hermione, you've been warned.**_

Minerva had been keeping her eye on her favourite student this year, looking for signs that Hermione was lying about whether she was okay, and was actually in proper pain after the death of her parents, and the war that happened just a year ago. She knew that she wasn't sleeping, and that she was hardly eating, and she just didn't know how to talk to Hermione about it, she knew that she could give her sympathy, but she wasn't sure that she would be able to bridge the student/teacher gap without betraying how fond she had become of the young witch, who's body had finally caught up with her mind, and she was now very, very beautiful, with voluptuous curves and delicate facial features. Hermione had never noticed the way that her hair now fell in beautiful waves instead of being a frizzy mess, or the drooling looks that the Seventh Boys gave her when she walked past. Of course there was no point telling her any of this, because she'd just laugh at you and then go back to studying. She finally gave up when Hermione didn't show for dinner or breakfast and went looking for her, and found her asleep in the library. She prodded her arm and hoped that Hermione would wake, but then she ended up prodding her arm a lot.

"Mehhhhh… Stop prodding me!" Hermione moaned as she woke up. When she raised her head Minerva couldn't help but laugh at the sleep lines on Hermione's face, and her hair was pretty messy. Hermione picked up her wand and cast several spells that made her look the same as always; although Minerva had noticed that she hadn't been bothering to cast a Glamour on the rings around her eyes.

"Has sleeping in here become a habit Miss Granger?" Minerva teased with a soft smile on her face.

"It has a bit." She admitted with a shrug.

"It's not good for you, you know."

"I know, but I can't seem to sleep unless I'm exhausted, and by the time that I've done enough studying for that it's far too late." Minerva sat down opposite her, feeling sympathetic.

"I remember when it used to be like that, so long ago, after the Grindelwald war. I couldn't sleep for years, at least not without their faces cropping up in my dreams, and making them become nightmares. Both of our young innocence was stripped away by war and our own choices, although sometimes those particular choices have to be made, and we have to do what we wish we didn't." Minerva replied sombrely. "But you have to learn to get through it, and just hope that you never have to see it done to another generation."

"How did you survive through three?"

"Because I had to." They stayed in pensive silence for a moment, and then Minerva unexpected smiled and stood up.

"Now you have to work off this habit, and stay out of the library. At least study to death in your room, rather than in here, at least you have no one to disturb you now." Hermione was Head Girl, so she of course had a room all to herself. Hermione stood up slowly, yawning as she did so. Minerva laughed;

"That's what you get for sleeping in here. Surely you have terrible neck cramps?"

"I found a spell to avoid them, and to cure them if I do get them." Hermione smirked, "It's worked pretty well so far."

"I've noticed, seeing as you haven't been walking around like you're disabled." Hermione laughed and finished clearing up her stuff.

"Are there disabled people in the Wizarding World?"

"No, we don't get a lot of the illnesses that makes Muggles disabled, and we can always make synthetic limbs with magic, and then attach them with magic and make them work better than the Muggle alternatives do."

**HGMMHGMMHGMMHGMMHGMMHGMMHGMM**

Minerva was still worried about Hermione, her little habit had continued and she was slowly becoming more and more dishevelled, until Minerva gave up and started to go into the library at curfew and oust Hermione out, ignoring any of the other students that happened to be in there, who never seemed to notice anyway, seeing as most of them were diligent Ravenclaws, and Seventh or Fifth Years mostly, studying for their exams. It had become routine, so Hermione's Habit was slowly ending, although Minerva had tried to leave it for a few days and then let Hermione go to bed on her own she stopped by the library one morning and found Hermione slumped over a table, fast asleep. While Minerva did make sure that Hermione made it to bed she started to look better, healthier, and was eating more. One night after dinner Minerva posed the question; "Why has this become a habit?"

"Because I need to get more studying done, and I need to find a way to sleep."

"You're obviously sleeping better at the moment, seeing as I've been aiming a Finite Incantatem at you every morning to get rid of any Glamour charms." Hermione laughed.

"No, I do sleep better, I can just never drag myself to bed, and once I get going on studying, I can't help but continue." She looked a little guilty. "And the nightmares are still there, I'm just trying to teach myself to stop dreading them, that it's all in my head."

"What are the nightmares about?" Minerva questioned softly and Hermione, strangely, blushed.

"It doesn't matter what they're about." The truth was that they were always about Minerva dying or being torture in all sorts of different ways.

"I can help you better if I know what they're about."

"You are helping me, more than you realise." Hermione muttered, and Minerva's signature eyebrow went up, and Hermione blushed, going a cute pink colour that Minerva couldn't help but admire.

"Oh really?"

"Erm…" Hermione stuttered. "It doesn't matter how, or why, just know that you are." She said quickly, hoping that Minerva would leave the matter alone, but no such luck.

"Hermione, I need to know so that I can help you." She said softly, in the low voice that she always used when talking to animals or distressed students.

"I can't… You might end up knowing one day, but I don't think that it's imperative that you learn of the nature of my nightmares, just that they're pretty bad, and that they upset me." Hermione evaded neatly and Minerva let the subject drop, for now.

**HGMMHGMMHGMMHGMMHGMMHGMM**

Over the next few weeks Minerva continued to get Hermione out of the library at night, and Hermione continued to sleep better, and the bushy haired witch had a feeling that it was because she was seeing Minerva right before she went to sleep, so she was still think about a very much alive version of the woman in her dreams, and that was starting to sink in. She no longer woke up screaming or covered in sweat and she was glad of this, and desperately hoped that it would continue to be that way. Minerva hadn't been able to come up with a plausible idea as to why this was helping Hermione, but she was content to carry on, even if it was only to make Hermione healthy, and she would deny the fact that it meant that she got to see the brunette until the day she died, unless of course by some miracle she found out that Hermione felt the same way.

**HGMMHGMMHGMMHGMMHGMMHGMM**

Christmas was right around the corner, and Minerva was quite shocked when she found out that Hermione was the only Gryffindor not going home for the holidays, and that there was only one other student, and that was a Slytherin; Draco Malfoy, who was pretty much homeless seeing as his mother was currently doing up the ruin that was her childhood home. Minerva had been glad to notice that Hermione was one of the only ones to give him a second chance, and she, Draco, Nott and Zabini had been seen studying and eating together at the far end of the Slytherin table recently. Ron and Harry had mostly abandoned Hermione, Ron pretending to be heartbroken and running back off to Lavender Brown, and Harry all wrapped up with Ginny. One would think that after a war and all the Trio had been through they would be closer than family, but somehow it had pushed them apart, and things were never to be the same again. Minerva was startled out of her reverie by a single knock and the head of the girl that she had just been thinking about peeked around her door.

"You busy?" Hermione asked casually.

"No, come right in." Hermione summoned a padded chair and pushed the one that Minerva liked to torture her students with out of the way and plopped into the seat that she had summoned.

"I just found out that there are only two students staying, and that all the staff apart from you are leaving. I can't imagine there only being three of us in the castle, and to be honest I still can't believe that I didn't get invited to the Weasley's. I mean, so what, I don't love Ronald, but the way that I'm being treated now is ridiculous!" She exclaimed.

"You weren't invited? I just thought that you didn't want to because things were awkward and he was being spiteful." Minerva's brow furrowed. "I'm going to have to talk to Molly."

"Don't." Hermione urged. "I can't believe it either, but they'll get over it, and while I am mildly affronted that they would treat me like that, it's not really a problem." Hermione shrugged.

"Mmmm… I won't say anything about you talking to me, I'll just casually question, because they know about your parents, so they must realise that you're one of the only ones not going home."

"It doesn't matter, I can keep Drake company." Minerva raised her eyebrow, again.

"Drake?" Hermione blushed.

"Malfoy." She elaborated.

"I'm really glad that you're giving them a chance, although judging by the looks that Ronald was shooting you I think that he thinks that you two are going to end up together." And I was wondering Minerva added in her head and Hermione started to laugh.

"Me and Drake!" She exclaimed through her laughter. Once she was done she wiped tears out of her eyes and looked up. "I forgot that I didn't tell you, I guess that I just got used to people knowing." Draco had guessed that she was a lesbian very early on, seeing as he was gay and all. "I'm a lesbian." She announced. Minerva was gobsmacked to put it lightly.

"That's brilliant!" She exclaimed, before she had full control of her mouth and she couldn't help but blush a red that put her Gryffindor banner to shame.

"Brilliant?" Hermione repeated, confused and Minerva hurried to cover up her mistake.

"You've joined the club." She covered up quickly with a grin.

"So- You're- I mean…" Hermione stuttered.

"Yes, I am gay." Hermione couldn't help but break out into a huge grin at that admission, and Minerva looked at her quizzically.

"It's good to know that someone else is." Hermione covered, the same way that Minerva had, then she quickly stood.

"I've got to go. My nasty Transfiguration Professor has given me a mountain of homework!" Hermione teased.

"I know, she's such a troll!" Minerva grinned and shooed her out of her office. "Now out you cheeky witch!"

_**A/N: Somehow, I just felt that it was right to leave it here, and I don't think that I'm going to do another chapter, unless I put another challenge into the next one.**_


	2. Chapter 2: Howlers and Anger

**Dreams and Habits Chapter 2: Howlers and Anger**

For the '100 Words Prompt' Challenge by 'PenonPaperFingersonKeys'. Prompt; _Howlers_

_**A/N: Yes, I do really believe that Ron would be this stupid.**_

Hermione cast a shocked glance at the Howler that had just ripped itself up in front of her, she could not believe that he had done that, she thought that hanging out with Slytherins was allowed! Especially with reformed ones like Drake who had shown bravery and which side he was really on, even if it had been at the very end, and not only him, but his Mum had proved it too. Hermione glanced up at the Head Table and to her love who sat in the centre chair and couldn't help but snigger to herself; at least he would approve of her. Drake, Theo and Blaise were all looking at her sympathetically; all three of them had got Howlers off their Dads when they had learned about their friendship with Hermione. The brunette smirked evilly and turned around, aiming her wand for Ron's porridge bowl, she lifted it up with a silent Wingardium Leviosa and made it fly up fast, straight into Ronald's face. She quickly turned around and then turned with everyone else when they started to laugh. She sniggered and Ron's angry eyes seemed to know who it was immediately, because he sought her out and then aimed his wand at her and was about to cast a spell when Minerva cast a light Expelliarmus and caught his wand, then shot him a disdainful look.

"I will not have offensive spells cast at another student, in the Great Hall of all places!" She rolled her eyes and then continued. "A week of detentions with Filch, be glad that you didn't manage to cast the spell or your punishment would be a lot more severe." Ron snatched his wand back and stomped away, like the child he was. Minerva discreetly met eyes with Hermione and nodded her head out the doors as if to say; "I need to talk to you," Hermione nodded back and then Minerva swept out the room, with Hermione following a few minutes after, and finding the silver tabby waiting for her to the left of the Great Hall, and then its tail whipping around the corner and out of sight. She quickly followed it all the way up to Minerva's office, where she then found the same tabby turning back to her human form. The Animagus sent a raised eyebrow her way and then let them both into the office, rolling her eyes when Hermione once again forewent the chair that she always had in front of her desk by summoning her own. Once Hermione was seated Minerva just cast an exasperated glance her way.

"Why on earth would you do that to Mr Weasley?"

"Did you not hear the Howler he sent me, and who says that I did anything anyway?" Hermione couldn't help but smirk.

"Yes, I was one of the unfortunate ones who did hear what the Howler said, seeing as you were sat rather close to the Staff Table." The Slytherin's always sat right down the other end whenever they could, so Hermione and the others were always down that end.

"Yes, I know, Ronald should not have sent it, but I would never do anything like that!" Hermione said mock sincerely and Minerva rolled her eyes.

"I know you did, but I'm not going to take points, because he deserved what he got." Hermione laughed and stood up.

"I'm going into Hogsmeade with Drake and the gang, seeing as it's the last one before Christmas." She remembered to get rid of the chair and then she left the room, leaving Minerva with a huge stack of essays to mark.

**HGMMHGMMHGMMHGMMHGMMHGMMHGMM**

The next morning another Howler arrived, only this time it was for a certain Ronald Bilius Weasley. Minerva had to pretend to drink her Pumpkin Juice as the Howler shouted at Ron, trying to hide her laughter.

"**Ronald Bilius Weasley, how dare you even think of drawing your wand on me, even though you **_**know**_** that I could beat you in a duel without a single problem? And sending **_**me**_** a Howler, just for hanging around with people who aren't so hung up on themselves and what they wish their perfect future would be like? If you're going to continue to be so childish, then why should I still talk to you, even though you hardly even like me as a friend anymore? I have found much **_**better**_** friends, so don't talk to me!**" The Howler ripped itself up and Minerva couldn't contain her laughter anymore as Hermione's adjustment came into play; it not only ripped itself up, it also spat green goo at the person whom it was sent to.

"I wouldn't want to be on Miss Granger's bad side." Filius commented dryly next to her, making her laugh even more. Ron looked up and he noticed her laughing and in a mad fit of rage sent a curse up at her. She easily cast the counter-curse and her mirth changed to anger as she stormed down to where he was now shivering in his boots. The impressive witch was a little shorter than him, but her fury made up for that, and her presence was huge.

"Detentions until you leave Hogwarts Mr Weasley! You're lucky, usually I would expel you for attacking a teacher, but due to the circumstances of the last few years I shall not. Now go back up to your dormitory and calm down before you do something else that's extremely stupid." She turned away from him and stormed out of the Hall, and Hermione again followed a few minutes later, glaring at Ron as she did.

"Why do you have to be such a baby?" She hissed and stormed out the Hall.

**HGMMHGMMHGMMHGMMHGMMHGMMHGMM**

"You okay?" Hermione asked Minerva softly as she joined the shell shocked woman in front of the fire in her office.

"I'm fine; I just can't believe that he would react like that…"

"His emotions, and his way of realising how other people feel is still at the level of an eight year old. Give him time, a few years, and he might finally realise what he has been doing wrong all his life." She reassured the older witch. "And don't worry about your feelings that you want to throttle him, everybody does." Hermione said with a grin which made Minerva laugh, instantly brightening the mood in the room.

"That's the first time in all my years that I've been attacked by a Gryffindor student, well apart from a have been the butt of a few practical jokes, but never been outwardly attacked like that."

"Ignore him, he's a twat. Did you read last week's edition of Transfiguration Today?" That got them talking like no other subject did, and moved Minerva's thoughts away from Ronald, and let her completely focus on the woman she loved.


	3. Chapter 3: Hug A Cat Day

**Dreams and Habits Chapter 3: Hug A Cat Day**

'Daily Prompts From The Mods'; October 1, 2010, "Merlin, I'm old." Challenge.

"Hermione, you've been nervous like there's something going on for days!" Minerva said, exasperated at the girl who was shifting around in her seat and doodling even though she was usually so attentive. She wouldn't have said anything in front of the class if it wasn't for the fact that she had been like this for the last week.

"It's nothing Professor, just a bit jittery is all." She said, but she still seemed distracted. At the end of the lesson Minerva asked her to stay back.

"Hermione, I'm worried about you."

"Look, I'm fine; I just have some stuff going on."

"Hmm… You can tell me you know."

"I would, but it's got to be secret, and it takes extensive planning." She said slowly.

"So that's what you've been doodling on in my lessons? Next time I'll confiscate it." She threatened.

"No, you can't! You can't find out!"

"Why not?"

"Because it has to remain a mystery, nobody but me, Drake, Theo and Blaise know." And you can't know that it's you that I plan to surprise, she added silently in her head.

**HGMMHGMMHGMMHGMMHGMMHGMMHGMM**

"What are you doing out of bed so late?" Minerva demanded.

"Nothing, I just needed to get something from the library." Hermione said, looking down.

"I thought that you'd stopped this?" Minerva asked gently.

"Oh, it's not that, I just needed to get a book."

"This has something to do with your mystery task doesn't it?" Hermione nodded and Minerva rolled her eyes.

"I wish you'd tell me."

"Nope, can't, and I wouldn't anyway." She said with a cheeky smile.

"Come on, to bed with you." They were walking together when Hermione suddenly cast a Disillusionment Charm and dropped back, racing through the corridors. By the time that Minerva had spotted the mirage that was Hermione she was miles away.

"Merlin, I'm old." She moaned and raced after her, morphing into her cat form in one leap. She followed her using her sense of smell and laughed when she found Hermione doubled up and leaning against a wall, panting. She morphed back and then joined Hermione against the wall.

"Why did you have to run? It makes me think that you're up to something."

"I am up to something, and you can't know anything about it." Hermione replied.

"Just tell me." Minerva urged.

"No chance." The black-haired witch rolled her eyes and spun off the wall to face the brunette.

"You really should be in bed."

"So should you." She retaliated cheekily and Minerva rolled her eyes.

"I'm sure I'll find out eventually." She sighed and left Hermione lent against the wall.

**HGMMHGMMHGMMHGMMHGMMHGMMHGMM**

Over the next coming weeks Hermione didn't tell anyone what was going on, Christmas came and went and nothing happened. Until suddenly, on Minerva's birthday, and the staff swore that they didn't do it, there were banners everywhere that said; "Hug A Cat Day" Now the staff and pretty much all the students knew about Minerva being a cat Animagus, so she was rather surprised when the first hug happened in the staff room, where all the staff members hugged her, all of them lining up to hug her one by one, and straight away she knew that this was Hermione's doing, whatever was happening anyway.

"Why is everyone hugging me?"

"It's 'Hug A Cat Day', and you're a cat Animagus. So expect a lot more of that to happen." Filius smiled, and Minerva groaned.

"I'm going to get attacked aren't I?" She asked gloomily, even though she would never tell anyone, but she was secretly enjoying the attention, and that it might just be one of the best days in a while. She left the Staff Room and walked down to the Great Hall for breakfast, noticing that the banners were everywhere. By the time she got down to her destination eight Gryffindors had hugged her, although she reckoned that they had been dared by random people, although she was glad that it was a Sunday, it meant that she wouldn't have class-full's of adolescents hugging her. She was walking up to the Staff table and she got hugged several times, and on the way back as well. Minerva sighed as she left to go back to her chambers, expecting lots of them to have built up their courage by now and be wanting to ambush her. She had just left mounted the Fourth Floor when she met the Quartet as they were now; Hermione, Draco, Theo and Blaise. Hermione grinned and gave her a big hug, lasting the longest of the ones that she would get that day and it wasn't stiff or awkward at all. The other three followed, although both Theo's and Blaise's were stiff and only lasted a second.

"Have you opened your presents yet?" Hermione questioned.

"Presents?" Theo echoed quizzically.

"It's her birthday." Hermione explained.

"No, I have not yet opened them. Why, am I to be expecting something else than books?"

"Something like that." She said mysteriously and then the four of them skipped off. Minerva rolled her eyes although she walked with renewed vigour and a lot faster than she had before all the way to her quarters where she then dug through her presents until she found Hermione's, which was in the shape of a box. She took off the card;

_Minerva,_

_I am sure that this is not of your usual present sort, but I saw it and couldn't help but think of you in it. Although, I wouldn't want you to be offended, and you have to wear it, just for today._

_Love, Hermione_

The emerald-eyed witch eyed up the box uncertainly and then dug in, stripping off the paper and then digging through the foam in the box and until she laid hands on a hat, and not just any hat; an emerald green hat with a gold trim that had the words; "I'm a cat, cuz a cat's where it's at," emblazoned on the front and she couldn't help but laugh so she slipped it on and ignored the rest of her presents, going looking for Hermione, knowing that she would be in the library, seeing as she had a 4 foot parchment assigned for Transfiguration and due tomorrow. She got even more hugs this time, and many giggles when people spotted her hat. She ignored them and when she found Hermione she was surprised to find her alone, but there was evidence that the boys had been here.

"I like the hat; I think it brings out my eyes." Minerva suddenly said and Hermione jumped and then looked up, grinning from ear to ear.

"I think so. A most ingenious find I must say." The two were grinning at each other when the boys came back in and they looked between the two, straight away knowing that those two held a bit more than a spark for each other. Hermione noticed them beyond Minerva's shoulder and she laughed.

"They're like girls, always going to the toilet in packs." Minerva laughed in reply and stood up, Hermione followed suit and hugged her again, and this one lasted even longer than last time. "It never says only one hug a day." Minerva's grin returned and she practically bounced out of the room.

"You have it badddddd…." Theo jumped straight in.

"I have what? Dragon pox?" She muttered irritably and went back to her work.

"Minerva-itus." Draco added.

"And she's got Hermi- Pox." Blaise said with a grin. Hermione rolled her eyes at them and went back to her work, but she wasn't able to push the thought that Blaise had presented to her, what if Minerva did like her back?

Minerva did wear the hat all day, and Hermione's grin was massive by the time that she saw Minerva at 9 and she was still wearing the hat.


End file.
